Paragliding

Paragliding in Nepal can be a truly wonderful and fulfilling experience for the adventure seeking. A trip will take you over some of the best scenery on earth, as you share airspace with Himalayan griffins vultures, eagles, kites and float over villages, monasteries, temples, lakes and jungle, with a fantastic view of the majestic Himalayas.

Bungy Jumping

The ultimate thrill of a bungy jump can now be experienced in Nepal at one of the best sites that this sport can boast of anywhere in the world. Nepal’s first bungy jumping site is situated 160m. Over the Bhote Koshi river, inviting you to experience the ultimate adrenaline rush in the surroundings of this amazing place. The jump, at 160m., is staffed and operated by some of the most experienced jumpmasters in the business.

Hot Air Ballooning

Hot air ballooning is very popular with tourists for it affords the most spectacular bird’s-eye view of the Kathmandu valley and the Himalayan ranges towering in the background. On a clear day it’s a superb way to view the Himalayan (from over 6000m up), and the view of the valley is equally breathtaking.

Rafting/Kayaking/Canyoning

Rafting is one of the best ways to explore the typical cross section of natural as well as ethno-cultural heritage of the country. There are numerous rivers in Nepal which offer excellent rafting or canoeing experience. You can glide on calm jade waters with munificent scenery all about or rush through roaring white rapids, in the care of expert river-men employed by government authorized agencies. One can opt for day of river running or more. So far, the government has opened sections of 10 rivers for commercial rafting. The Trisuli river ( Grade 3+) is one of the most popular of Nepal’s raftable rivers. The Kali Gandaki (5-5+) winds through remote canyons and deep gorges for five days of intense rapids. The Bhote Koshi (4-5) is 26 km of continuous white water and the raging Marshyanghi is four days of uninterrupted white water. The Karnali river (4-5) provides some of the most challenging rapids in the world. The Sun Koshi (4-5), 27 km, requiring 8–10 days to complete, is a big and challenging river. Adventurers are provided with world-class services by rafting agents. Agencies here provide life jackets, camping and the standard rafting paraphernalia needed by world-class rafting. An extremely popular sport in Europe, cannoning is now available in Nepal. Cannoning gives you the freedom to explore some of the most ruggedly beautiful, yet forbidden places in the world.

Rock Climbing

For all those cliffhangers out there, Kathmandu offers a roster of stone walls that make for an experience of a lifetime. Now of late, Rock climbing has become a popular sport in Kathmandu, which offers some really terrific places for rock climbing. Nagarjun, Balaju, Shivapuri and Budhanil Kantha are some of the places where you can try this sport.

Mountain Flight

Only awe-stricken silence can come close to matching the experience of going on a mountain flight to encounter the tallest mountains on earth. Mountain flights offer the closest possible aerial views of Mt. Everest, Kanchenjunga and the Tibetan Plateau. Mountain flights appeal to all category of travelers and have become a popular tourist attraction of Nepal. For those who are restricted by time or other considerations from going for a trek, these flights offer a panoramic view of the Himalayan in just one hour.

Bird Watching

Nepal is a paradise for bird lovers with over 646 species (almost 8% of the world total) of birds, and among them almost 500 hundred species are found in Kathmandu Valley alone. The most popular bird watching spots in Kathmandu are Phulchoki, Godavari, Nagarjun, Bagmati river, Taudaha including the National Parks and Conservation areas too. Get your binoculars and look forward to a rewarding experience.

Trekking

The best way to experience Nepal’s unbeatable combination of natural beauty and culture riches is to walk through them. One can walk along the beaten trails or virgin tracks. Either way you are in for an experience for a lifetime. Along with forests of rhododendron, isolated hamlets, and small mountain villages, birds, animals, temple, monasteries and breathtaking landscapes, you will also encounter friendly people of different cultures offering a fascinating glimpse of traditional rural life

Major activities

Mountain Climbing


The 800 km stretch of the Nepal Himalayan is the greatest in the world with eight peaks that rise above 8,000m including the highest in the world, Mt. Everest. Ever since the country opened its peaks to climbers in 1994, the Nepal Himalayan has become a great theatre of mountaineering activity and the drama of success and failure have provided impetus to thousands of men and women to meet the ultimate challenge. The Nepal Himalayan has been an attraction to many people, be they saints, philosophers, researchers or adventures.

International Tourist Arrivals(source: Economic Survey, 2009)

While analyzing the number of tourists visiting Nepal, their growth trend and length of stay, the number of tourists had increased by 37.2 percent to 526,705 during the calendar year 2007. The number of tourists in the calendar year 2008 totaled 500,277 with a decline of 5 percent. In 2006, the average length of tourist stay was 11.96 days, while this has come down to 11.78 days in the calendar year 2008. The number of tourists had increased by 37.2 percent to 526,705 during the calendar year 2007. The number of tourists in the calendar year 2008 totaled 500,277 with a decline of 5 percent. In 2006, the average length of tourist stay was 11.96 days, while this has come down to 11.78 days in the calendar year 2008.Of the total tourists’ arrival during the calendar year 2008, 27.5 percent were from Western Europe, 7.6 percent from North America, 3.2 percent from Australia and Pacific Region, 2.6 percent from Eastern Europe, 1.5 percent from Central and South America, 0.3 percent from Africa and 1.4 percent from other countries. Among the total visitors, 55.9 percent were from Asia comprising 18.2 percent Indian tourists. Though shares of tourists arriving from North America, Central and South America, Asia, Australia and Pacific have declined in comparison to the figure during the same period in the preceding year, the tourist arrivals from Africa and other countries have increased.

An Overview

An Overview



Nepal is well known for country of the Mt. Everest, the highest peak in the world and a famous destination for adventure tourism. The world heritage Lumbini (birth place of Buddha) is also located in Nepal. Natural scenic landscape and biodiversity, high Himalayas, incomparable cultural heritage and other numerous peculiarities have made Nepal a well-known destination in the world tourism map with a distinct image. These qualities made Nepal a unique place giving high potentialities for the growth of tourism industry. So far, the pace of tourism industry development could not be considered promising from the perspective of economic development. Even if, this sector is contributing substantial share in foreign exchange receipts with unlimited potentiality. The new government policies have shown greater concerns about the real value of tourism and its role to contribute in economic growth and overall tourism development in the country. Furthermore, tourism industry is considered as a major element for poverty alleviation and social equity. The Nepal Tourism Vision 2020, has been issued from the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MOTCA) with the collaboration of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and concerned industries targeting to attract two millions of tourist by 2020(Source: Economic Survey, 2009. MOF,Nepal)

Travel and tourism industry in Nepal.

Introduction:



Tourism is the largest industry in Nepal; the largest source of foreign exchange and revenue. Possessing 8 of the 10 highest mountains in the world, Nepal is a hotspot destination for mountaineers, rock climbers and people seeking adventures. The Hindu and Buddhist heritage of Nepal, and its cold weather are also strong attractions. Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes.